Acupressure for Weight ControlApply steady, penetrating finger pressure to each of the following points for 3 minutes.1. Begin with 'Appetite Control' ear point. This appetite control point can help you avoid overeating.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

This sequence of points relieves the fatigue that women experience just prior to the onset of their menstrual period. Tiredness may last through the first few days of menstruation for many women. This exercise can also help to relieve menstrual anxiety and depression. Caution: The second step in this sequence has traditionally been forbidden for use by pregnant women after their first trimester.Sit up and prop your back against a chair. Hold each step 1 to 3 minutes.

Left hand holds point at the base of the ball of the left foot. This point is located between the two pads of the foot.

Right hand holds the point midway between the inside of the right ankle-bone and the Achilles tendon. The Achilles tendon is located at the back of the ankle.

Left hand holds point below right knee. This point is located four finger widths below the kneecap toward the outside of the shinbone. It is sensitive to the touch in many people.

Friday, November 28, 2008

Acupressure is an ancient healing art that uses the fingers to press key points on the surface of the skin to stimulate the body's natural self-curative abilities. When these points are pressed, they release muscular tension and promote the circulation of blood and the body's life force to aid healing. Acupuncture and acupressure use the same points, but acupuncture employs needles, while acupressure uses the gentle but firm pressure of hands (and even feet). There is a massive amount of scientific data that demonstrates why and how acupuncture is effective. But acupressure, the older of the two traditions, was neglected after the Chinese developed more technological methods for stimulating points with needles and electricity. Acupressure, however, continues to be the most effective method for self-treatment of tension-related ailments by using the power and sensitivity of the human hand.

Foremost among the advantages of acupressure's healing touch is that it is safe to do on yourself and others - even if you've never done it before - so long as you follow the instructions and pay attention to the cautions. There are no side effects from drugs, because there are no drugs. And the only equipment needed are your own two hands. You can practice acupressure therapy any time, anywhere.

My clinical experiences over the past eighteen years have shown me that acupressure can be effective in helping relieve headaches, eyestrain, sinus problems, neck pain, backaches, arthritis, muscle aches, and tension due to stress. I have also shown hundreds of my acupressure students, patients, and friends how to use acupressure to relieve ulcer pain, menstrual cramps, lower back aches, constipation, and indigestion. You can also use self-acupressure to relieve anxiety and to help you get to sleep at night.

Susan, a student of mine, was suffering from insomnia and occasional headaches for many years, as the result of a neck injury. 'I feel so tired and weary, nearly all the time, Michael," she said. "Can acupressure points help me?"

I showed her several potent points on her ankles and neck for headaches, as well as some upper-back stretching exercises for her insomnia. Susan reported to me two weeks later, glowing. "The treatment really worked! I've been sleeping uninterrupted and soundly through the night for the first time in fifteen years."

There are also great advantages to using acupressure as a way to balance the body and maintain good health. The healing touch of acupressure reduces tension, increases circulation, and enables the body to relax deeply. By relieving stress, acupressure strengthens resistance to disease and promotes wellness.

In acupressure, local symptoms are considered an expression of the condition of the body as a whole. A tension headache, for instance, may be rooted in the shoulder and neck area. Thus acupressure focuses on relieving pain and discomfort as well as on responding to tension before it develops into a "dis-ease" that is, before the constrictions and imbalances can do further damage. By using a combination of self-help methods such as trigger point stimulation, deep breathing, range-of-motion exercises, and relaxation techniques, you can improve your condition as well as feel more alive, healthy, and in harmony with your life.

Recently, Judy, one of my advanced acupressure students, complained about having night sweats. She was in the midst of making a serious decision about where to live, which also involved a relationship that was troubling her. I immediately noticed that her upper back was rounded by tension and discovered even more tension in her neck. I showed her the points for working on these areas. A month later, after using acupressure on herself twice a day, Judy reported that much of her upper back tension and a "ball" of deep anxiety had dissipated. She also felt clearer and more objective in dealing with her problems. Best of all, the night sweats that had made her miserable for two months were gone.

Alice, one of my elderly clients, had limited mobility in her neck with severe arthritic neck pain that radiated down her shoulders into her arms as well as up into her head. After her first acupressure session, she not only felt less discomfort but also had greater flexibility in her neck. For the first time in years, she was able to move her head freely without pain.

After several weeks Alice realized that she could help herself using the points underneath the base of her skull to relieve both her neck pain and stiffness. Recently she told me that whenever the pain "creeps up on her," she practices self-acupressure. It is possible that this increased mobility, in turn, prevents further deterioration.

The Development of Acupressure

The origins of acupressure are as ancient as the instinctive impulse to hold your forehead or temples when you have a headache. Everyone at one time or another has used his or her hands spontaneously to hold tense or painful places on the body.

More than 5,000 years ago, the Chinese discovered that pressing certain points on the body relieved pain where it occurred and also benefited other parts of the body more remote from the pain and the pressure point.1 Gradually, they found other locations that not only alleviated pain but also influenced the functioning of certain internal organs.

In the early Chinese dynasties, when stones and arrows were the only implements of war, many soldiers wounded on the battlefield reported that symptoms of disease that had plagued them for years had suddenly vanished. Naturally, such strange occurrences baffled the physicians who could find no logical relationship between the trauma and the ensuing recovery of health. After years of meticulous observation, ancient Chinese physicians developed ways of curing certain illnesses by striking or piercing specific points on the surface of the body.2

As with the Chinese soldiers, people through the ages have found the most effective ways to help themselves by trial and error. The art and science of acupressure was practiced by the contributions of people whose awareness was so highly developed that they could feel where the bodies of people in pain were constricted and sense which trigger points would alleviate the problem. The Chinese have practiced self-acupressure for over 5,000 years as a way of keeping themselves well and happy. You, too, can learn how to complement the care you receive from your doctors. You can help your body relieve itself of common ailments, such as those in this book, by pressing the proper spots, which I will teach you. In the course of trying out these points, you may even find others that work better for you.

Many of the health problems in our society - from bad backs to arthritis - are the result of living unnaturally. Stress, tension, lack of exercise, poor eating habits, and poor posture contribute to the epidemic of degenerative diseases in our culture. Acupressure is one way to help your body fight back and balance itself in the face of the pressures of modern life.

How Acupressure Works

Acupressure points (also called potent points) are places on the skin that are especially sensitive to bioelectrical impulses in the body and conduct those impulses readily.

Traditionally, Asian cultures conceived of the points as junctures of special pathways that carried the human energy that the Chinese call chi and the Japanese call ki. Western scientists have also mapped out and proven the existence of this system of body points by using sensitive electrical devices.

Stimulating these points with pressure, needles, or heat triggers the release of endorphins, which are the neurochemicals that relieve pain. As a result, pain is blocked

and the flow of blood and oxygen to the affected area is increased. This causes the muscles to relax and promotes healing.

Because acupressure inhibits the pain signals sent to the brain through a mild, fairly painless stimulation, it has been described as closing the "gates" of the pain-signaling system, preventing painful sensations from passing through the spinal cord to the brain.3

Besides relieving pain, acupressure can help rebalance the body by dissolving tensions and stresses that keep it from functioning smoothly and that inhibit the immune system. Acupressure enables the body to adapt to environmental changes and resist illness.

Tension tends to concentrate around acupressure points. When a muscle is chronically tense or in spasm, the muscle fibers contract due to the secretion of lactic acid caused by fatigue, trauma, stress, chemical imbalances, or poor circulation. For instance,

when you are under a great deal of stress you may find you have difficulty breathing. Certain acupressure points relieve chest tension and enable you to breathe deeply.

As a point is pressed, the muscle tension yields to the finger pressure, enabling the fibers to elongate and relax, blood to flow freely, and toxins to be released and eliminated. Increased circulation also brings more oxygen and other nutrients to affected areas. This increases the body's resistance to illness and promotes a longer, healthier, more vital life. When the blood and bioelectrical energy circulate properly, we have a greater sense of harmony. health, and well-being.

Ways to Use Acupressure

Acupressure's potent points can be used to enhance many aspects of life. In addition to managing stress, you can use acupressure to relieve and prevent sports injuries. Sports massage has been widely used by athletes before and after Olympic events. Acupressure complements sports medicine treatments by using points and massage techniques to improve muscle tone and circulation and relieve neuromuscular problems.

The Chinese have also used acupressure as a beauty treatment for thousands of years. You can use potent points to improve skin condition and tone and relax the facial muscles, which can lessen the appearance of wrinkles without drugs.

Although acupressure is not a substitute for medical care, it is often an appropriate complementary treatment. It can, for instance, speed the healing of a broken bone once it has been set, or aid a cancer patient by helping to alleviate some of the associated pain and anxiety of the disease.

Similarly, acupressure can be an effective adjunct to chiropractic treatment. By relaxing and toning the back muscles, acupressure makes the spinal adjustments easier and more effective, and the results last longer. In fact, the two therapies were originally practiced together in ancient China.

Psychotherapy patients can derive benefits from acupressure by using it to heighten body awareness and deal with stress. When powerful emotions are free and unresolved, the body stores the resulting tension in the muscles. Acupressure can help restore emotional balance by releasing the accumulated tension caused by repressed feelings.

An acupressure point actually has two identities and ways of working. When you stimulate a point in the same area where you feel pain or tension, it's called a local point. That same point can also relieve pain in a part of the body that is distant from the point, in which case it is called a trigger point. This triggering mechanism works through a human electrical channel called a meridian. The meridians are pathways that connect the acupressure points to each other as well as to the internal organs. Just as blood vessels carry the blood that nourishes the body physically, the meridians are distinct channels that circulate electrical energy throughout the body. They are thought to be part of a master communications system of universal life energy, connecting the organs with all sensory, physiological, and emotional aspects of the body. This physical network of energy also contains key points that we can use to deepen our spiritual awareness as we heal ourselves,

Because the stimulation of one point can send a healing message to other parts of the body, each acupressure point can benefit a variety of complaints and symptoms. Therefore, in the following chapters you will find a particular acupressure point used for a variety of problems. The highly effective acupressure point in the webbing between your thumb and index finger,4 for instance, is not only beneficial for relieving arthritic pain in the hand, but also benefits the colon and relieves problems in the facial area and the head, including headaches, toothaches, and sinus problems.

Tonic points5 improve your condition and maintain general health. They strengthen the overall body system and fortify various internal organs and vital systems of the body.

How to Find a Point: Acupressure Point Names and Reference Numbers

You locate an acupressure point by referring to anatomical landmarks. To help you find them, all of the points in this book are illustrated with a description of these landmarks (such as bone indentations and protrusions).

Some acupressure points lie underneath major muscle groups. While points near a bone structure usually lie in an indentation, muscular points lie within a muscular cord, band, or knot of tension. To stimulate the point, press directly on the cord or into the hollow.

As acupressure evolved, each of the 365 points was named poetically, originally with a Chinese character. The imagery of its name offers insight into either a point's benefits or location. For instance, the name Hidden Clarity refers to the mental benefit of the point: It clears the mind. Shoulder's Corner refers to that point's location. The Three Mile Point earned its name because it gives a person an extra three miles of energy. Runners and hikers have used this famous point to increase stamina and endurance.

Some of the names of the acupressure points also serve as a powerful meditation tool. By pressing a point and silently repeating its name while you visualize its benefit and breathe deeply, you can realize the full potential power that each point offers. As you hold the Sea of Vitality points in your lower back, breathe deeply and visualize each breath replenishing your deep reservoir of vitality. Use the power of your mind to strengthen and help heal your lower back.

You can create affirmations with the names of the points -- powerful action statements that amplify a point's benefits. For example, hold the Letting Go points on the upper, outer chest with your fingertips. Breathe deeply. Imagine yourself letting go of tension, frustration, and stress. As you hold and breathe into these points, repeat to yourself that you are now letting go of all negativity and irritability.

In addition to its name, each point was assigned an identification number to track its placement along the body. Point location numbers, such as St 3 or GI3 21, are a standard referencing system used by professional acupressurists and acupuncturists and so I use them as an additional label, too. These notations are explained in the Glossary, but you do not need to know or remember any of these numbers to practice the self-acupressure techniques in this book.

The Third Eye: A Potent Spiritual Point

Using the healing touch of acupressure can also be a practical way of deepening your spiritual life. By lightly touching the Third Eye Point, for instance, just above the bridge of the nose, for a couple of minutes, you can enhance your inner awareness. If you want to progress further, meditate on this point for five to ten minutes each day, and within a few weeks, you may notice that your intuition will begin to increase. Concentrating on the Third Eye Point can nourish your spiritual nature.

Spirituality is not disembodied; the most powerful spiritual experiences are rooted in one's body. When I close my eyes and lightly touch the Third Eye Point, and completely focus my attention on that spot between my eyebrows, I heighten my sense of myself. I become intensely aware of how my body feels, how my breathing feels. As I sense the blood pulsing throughout my body, I experience the flow of life energy. And if I continue breathing deeply, sitting with my spine straight, I become aware of every part of my body at once - as a harmonious, unified presence. When I meditate, this often leads to a powerful sense of oneness with the world. Acupressure's potent power can heal us both physically and spiritually.

The healing benefits of acupressure involve both the relaxation of the body and its positive effects on the mind. As tension is released, you not only feel good physically, but you also feel better emotionally and mentally. When your body relaxes, your mind relaxes as well, creating another state of consciousness. This expanded awareness leads to mental clarity and a healthier physical and emotional healing, dissolving the division between the mind and body.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Acupressure relies on the correspondence between certain nerve and energy centers in the body with the body's condition. By pressing on these nerve centers, you can alleviate conditions such as headaches. Here is how to use acupressure points for a headache,

Step1

Know which acupressure points correspond to headaches. In Chinese acupressure, the culprits are most likely to be the three head points or else the cluster of four points found at the base of the skull.

Step2

Find the three acupressure head points. The head points are found in a line starting from the crown of the head and working down toward the back of the skull. To find these points Holistic Online.com suggests placing your thumbs on the top of each ear with your fingertips meeting at the top of your head. You should feel a depression near the top of your skull. This is the middle of the three head points, with the first point about an inch above the middle point, and the third point about an inch below the middle point.

Step3

Press gently but firmly on the pressure points.

Step4

Find the four acupressure points at the base of the skull. To find the first pair, place your finger tips on the angle of your jaw on each side of your head. Follow that angle up and back until you find a lump of bone behind your ear. This is the mastoid process. From here, slide your fingertips straight back. You should find a hollow on each side of the base of your skull. These are the first pair of acupressure points.

Step5

Press on the first pair of acupressure points using firm, gentle pressure.

Step6

Find the last pair of acupressure points. Put your hands over your ears with your thumbs down and pointing to your back. Your finger tips should touch over the middle of the base of your skull. Slide your fingertips down until you find a hollow at the base of your skull, just at the top of your spine. These are the last two pressure points. Press gently and firmly.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Acupressure is an ancient healing art developed in Asia over 5,000 years ago that uses the fingers to press key points on the surface of the skin to stimulate the body's natural self-curative abilities. When these points are pressed, they release muscular tension and promote the circulation of blood and the body's life force energy to aid healing. Acupuncture and acupressure use the same points, but acupuncture employs needles, while acupressure uses gentle but firm pressure. Acupressure is a form of energy work. Energy (known as Chi or Qi) flows most freely when you touch, press, or hold the acupoints in bodywork. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) these healing points along energy meridians are the gateways to the body's life energy force. This universal energy source is also the basis of the Martial Arts and Healing Arts. The flow of this vital healing energy governs blood circulation and the function and balance of the human body. Studying the location and how to touch these acupuncture points is key to transformational energy work and massage therapy. Advantages of using acupressure include relieving pain, balancing the body and maintaining good health. The healing touch of acupressure reduces tension, increases circulation, and enables the body to relax deeply. By relieving stress, acupressure strengthens resistance to disease and promotes wellness

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Today the usual treatments for cancer entail surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. For anyone who has suffered through these dibilitating treatments an earnest search for an alternative medicine for cancer to treat the symptoms and increase the overall wellbeing is but natural.

It cannot be denied that modern medicine has come a long way in the treatment and management of many forms of cancer. Our knowledge and treatment of these maladies is far in advance of what was common practice of years past, however, we have a long way to go before cancer is 100% curable. Unfortunately cancer is taking on different forms and is increasing in regularity throughout the worlds population.

There is little hope provided by modern medicine for those suffering from terminal cases , nor is there much in the way of research in prevention which shows immanent clear direction. A very concerning question is being asked "Is our modern farming and food processing technology along with higher levels of pollution greatly influencing the spread of cancer"?

It is commonly believed that alternative medicine for cancer is found in altering our diets by including herbs that are known to be beneficial for the regeneration of the body along with those herbs thought to be good in pain management and relief. This treatment provides a holistic approach to prevention and cure of cancer.

Alternative Medicine for Cancer Prevention

It is well known that adequate fiber content helps to prevent cancers of the digestive tract. Holistic nutrition using coarse grain and unrefined flour are therefore useful forms of alternative medicine for cancer containment. Traditional medicine also has dietary supplements based on the husks of cereals which help to keep bowel movement in good order. It is worth following principles of alternative medicine for cancer prevention if malignancies of the colon and surrounding areas are likely.

Similarly, there are herbal extracts available which help cancerous lesions developing in the liver. The vitamins, minerals, enzymes and elements found in fresh organic fruits and vegetables are known to be the building blocks and the repair kit of the human body It is therefore worthwhile to use alternative medicine for cancer management of vital organs in a pro-active way.

Alternative Medicine for Cancer Treating The Terminally Ill.

The goal of preventing every case of cancer from reaching a stage where it can no longer be successfully treated has not yet been reached, nor is it 100% curable.. Even though most people are now aware of the causes of cancer and that early diagnosis is easier to obtain, many patients may have to spend considerable periods of time in the progressively deteriorating terminal stages of this fatal illness.

Today many people understand that essential nutrition and pain management are key considerations in making the final days of a terminally ill patient as comfortable as possible. Alternative medicine for cancer does provide important applications in this tragic context. Nutrition powders and fluid extracts can be used on patients who are too unwell to enjoy normal meals, while topical preparations can be combined with modern drugs to deal with pain relief.

If a patient is advised by his or her doctor that there is nothing more modern medicine can do to help, naturally they will seek other alternative medicines for cancer even if modern science has not yet substantiated the effects of these medicines. Some patients are known to have exceeded the prognoses for their malignant conditions by long periods using alternative medicine for cancer.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Generalizations are odious, of course. Nonetheless, I think it's safe to say that there are two kinds of people in this world: serious-minded souls who read instruction manuals cover-to-cover before they undertake a project; and those folk who are born tinkerers. The latter may find the format of Acupressure for Lovers a bit off-putting. The book is a step-by-step manual that blends the traditional Western obsession with how-to books with Eastern practices such as acupressure, Tantric sex, and yoga. Its nearly three hundred pages are devoted for the most part to instructions, illustrations, and cost-benefit analyses of various sexual techniques. The is lots of practical advice on sexual arousal and satiation here. The problem is with presentation: the sexual adventurer who has already planned out the route may become impatient with information, however valuable, when it's arranged as a series of exercises designed for sexual healing. And perhaps unavoidably for a work that draws upon traditional Eastern cultures for its inspiration, Acupressure for LOVERS appears to have a very strong bias towards heterosexual sex in general and penetration in particular. Like the cellophane-wrapped dossier that comes with a new computer, this book may be used best when it's added to your reference library to be consulted should the need for trouble-shooting arise.

"When you touch or suck your partner's penis or vagina, you should give an equal amount of attention to the whole surface of the genital organ. Overstimulating one area can lead to problems. For instance, when a woman masturbates, the primary stimulation may be the clitoris, which corresponds to the kidneys and bladder. Excessive stimulation around the clitoris can tax the kidneys and possibly cause a bladder infection, water retention, or weight problems. The reflexology zones in the vagina are mapped out the same as the penis, except in reverse order. Thus, when the penis fits snugly into the vagina, these reflex zones match, creating a powerful connection between both bodies. During intercourse, all of a man's and a woman's genital reflex zones are in contact, creating one of the most pleasurable ways to heal all parts of the body.